Convertible chair



Patented 'Dees 2Q, 19387 UNITED vSTATES PATENT ori-ICE Application August 30, 1937, Serial No. 161,643 In Germany August 31, 1936 'Ihis invention relates to a chair that can be converted into a table.

Compared with convertible chairs of known type which require arm rests to support the table top, the chair according to the invention is of simplified construction and can therefore be manufactured at a lower price. The new chair has a back which can be turned 90 to form the table, extends an equal distance in upward and downward direction from the seat and is firmly connected only with the seat. The seat is rotatably ,disposedinthe side portions of the chair frame and is secured in both positions by suitable means. To fix the seat in vertical or horizontal position in a particularly advantageous manner each of the bearing pins ofthe seat, which project beyond the bars of the chair frame, is provided with an oscillatory lever, and these levers possess at iiD-their free ends latch-like locking means which actuate spring-controlled locking pins located in the frame for the seat. In order to facilitate operation of this locking device and its manipulation from. both sides of the chair the bearing pins carrying the two levers preferably form the ends of a continuous joint shaft, so that the levers are coupled in swinging direction.

By way of example, two embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. lis a. view of the chair arranged to be occupied as a seat; Fig. 2, a view of the-chair used as table; Fig. 3, a side view of Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a diagrammatic view of a modified construction nf a chair used as table; Fig. 5, a side view on an enlarged scale of an upper corner of l the chair shown in Fig. 4; and Fig. 6, a cross section on the line 6-6, of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawing, in the frame a the seat c is arranged so as to be rotatable 90 about 4,0 the pins e. -The seat c supports, and is firmly connected with, the table b which is reinforced by oblique portions d which serve as back rest.

In the constructions shown in Figs'. 1 to 3 the seat c is secured in end positions by bolts, Asplines or pins f which are attached to a chain g or other suitable -means so that they cannot get lost. Within the side members of the chair-frame a pins h or other means hold the seat c when it is in position for use as table.

In the construction shown in Fig.4 4 the bearing pins e form the ends of a continuous shaft e'. Each of the pins e, e supports a lever i movable on the outside of the frame a, and at'the free ends of the two levers i coupled by-the shaft e a latch-likelocking member k provided with two inclined sliding faces it' is arranged which serves also as handle and operates a spring-actuated locking pin m. As indicated in Fig. 6, the locking pin m is connected with a cap n and guided in the bore o' of a fitting o disposed on the in- 5 side of the frame a and in a tube member p continuing the bore o of the fitting o. A helical spring q' wound around the tube p abuts against the fitting o and the top of the cap n and forces the latter outwardly until the outwardly flanged 10 base n' of the cap 11, strikes a fitting 1* in the central bore r of which the cap 11, is displaceably held. It. will be seen that the cap n and the locking pin m are displaced inwardly'if by moving the levers i the latch-like locking member lc is l5 guided-toward the locking means in the direction of the arrow a: in Fig. 6. The inner end of the locking pin m will thus come out of the bore o' of the fitting o and engage a counterbore s of an angular piece s attached toV the underside of the 20 seat c, so that the seat c is locked in vertical or horizontal position. A locking device of the kind described is provided at one upper corner of the frame a and at the lower cross member thereof. If one of the locking levers i is moved back out 25 of locking position, locking automatically ceases owing to spring action'.

To prevent the locking members lc from projecting beyond the upper bars of the frame a when the levers are in horizontal position the 30 outer ends of the levers i are angularly bent at l' and the locking means vare displaced to a correspondlng extent from the corner ofthe frame a and the center of the lower pieces. The two fittings o, 1f are countersunk in the bars of the 35 frame a. Y For limiting the motionr of the levers z the edges 'f thereof which lie below in the horizontal positionof the levers are 'fitted with pins t which in the horizontal position ofthe levers strike against 40 the lower edges of the upper bars of the frame a and inthe vertical position of the levers against small blocksu arranged at the proper spot on the lower cross members of the frame a.

When used as chair, the structure occupies a 45 `very small space and owing to the inclined back rest, which may be rounded and adapted to the shape of the body, insures comfortable sitting. Converted'into a table, it has a relatively large4 useful area without sacrificing stability. The top is not composed of several pieces, but represents an undivided unit capable of withstanding considerable loading, since the inclined portions d act on the underside as' reinforcing supports.

The. invention isv of course not restricted to the 55 examples shown and described and may be varied in many ways Without departing from the spirit thereof. In particular, the chair according to the invention could be made of steel tubing.

I claim:-

1. A chair convertible to form a table, comprising a frame, said frame including legs and spaced and parallel side frame members, a seat pivotally connected at central side portions thereof to central portions of said side members, a seat back having its transverse central portion rigidly secured to an end of said seat, said seat and back comprising a rigid unit and being swingable as a unit through substantially 90 degrees to position said back as a table top, and means for securing said unit' in both the chair and table forming positions.

2. A chair convertible to form a table, comprising a frame, said frame including legs and spaced and parallel side frame members, a seat pivotally connected at central side portions thereof to central portions 'of said side members, a seat back having its transverse central portion rigidly secured to an end of said seat, said seat and back comprising a rigid unit and being swingable as a unit through substantially 90 degrees to position said back as a table top, means for securing said unit in both the chair and table forming positions, and braces connected to either side of both ends of said seat back on either side of the ends of said seat, said braces being inclined away from saidback and converging at and connected to side portions of said vseat to brace said unit.

3.. A chair convertible to form a table, comprising a frame, said frame including legs and spaced and parallel side frame members, a seat pivotally connected at central side portions thereof to central portions of said side members, a seat back having its transverse central portion rigidly secured to an end of said seat, said seat and back comprising a rigid unit and being swingable as a unit through substantially degrees to position said back as a table top, and means for securing said unit in both the chair and table forming positions, said securing means comprising a separate member carried by each side of said frame, each of said members cooperating with means on said seat to secure said unit in both the chairl and table forming positions.

4. A chair convertible to form a table, comprislng a frame, said frame including legs and spaced and parallel side frame members, a seat pivotally connected at central side portions thereof to central portions of said side members, a seat back having its transverse central portion rigidly secured to an end of said seat, said seat and back comprising a rigid unit and being swingable as a unit through substantially 90 degrees to position said back as a table top, means for securing said unit in both the chair and table forming positions, said securing means comprising at least one lever pivotally connected to one of said side frame members outwardly thereof, a socket on said seat, a normally retracted bolt carried by said frame and adapted to be seated in said socket to lock said unit in a chair forming position, a second normally retracted bolt carried by said frame and adapted to be seated in said socket to lock said unit in a table forming position, bolt projecting means on said lever, and said lever being adapted to selectively project either of said bolts.

5. A chair convertible to form a table, comprising a frame, said frame including legs and spaced and parallel side frame members, a seat pivotally connected at central side portions thereof to central portions of said side members, a seat back having its transverse Central portion rigidly secured to an end of said seat, said seat and back comprising a rigid unit and being swingable as a unit throughsubstantially 90 degrees to position said back as a table top, means for securing said unit ln both the chair and table forming positions, said securingmeans comprising at least one lever pivotally connected to one of said side frame members outwardly thereof, a socket on said seat, a. normally retracted bolt carried by said frame and adapted to be seated in said socket to locksaid unit in a chair forming position, a second normally retracted bolt carried by said frame and adapted to be seated in said socket to lock said unit in a table forming position, bolt projecting means on said lever, and said lever being adapted to selectively project either of said bolts, said bolt projecting means on said lever comprising cam surfaces engageable with said bolts to project the same.

6. A chair convertible to form a table, comprising a frame, said frame including legs and spaced and parallel side frame members, a seat pivotally connected at central side portions thereof to central portions of said side members, a seat back having its transverse central portion rigidly secured to an end of said seat, said seat and back comprising a rigid unit and being swingable as a unit through substantially 90 degrees to position said backas a table top, means for securing said unit in both the chair and table forming positions, said securing means comprising at least one socket on said seat, said frame having recesses therein adapted to be alined with said socket when said unit is in both the chair and the table forming position, and a pin adapted to be received in said socket and one of said recesses to lock said unit in a selected position.

7. A chair convertible to form a table, comprising a frame, said frame including legs and spaced and parallel side frame members, a seat pivotally connected at central side portions thereof to central portions of said side members, a seat back having its transverse central portion rigidly secured to an end of said seat, said seat and back comprising a rigid unit and being swingable as a unit through substantially 90 degrees to position said back as a table top, means for securing said unit in both the chair and table forming positions, said securing means comprising at least one socket on said seat, said frame having recesses therein adapted to be alined with said socket When said unit is in both the chair and the table forming position, and a pin adapted to be received in said socket and one of said recesses to lock said unit in a selected position, said pin being swingably secured to said frame.

PAUL ROHRMANN. 

